Arable


Why hybrid rye has increasing role for Sentry farming


Growing hybrid rye is a relatively new venture for Sentry Ltd. But all indications already suggest it will have an increasing role in future rotations, says the company’s John Barrett.


esponsible for Sen- try-managed farms throughout East Anglia and south-east England, John Barrett says hybrid rye suits much of the company’s land and rotations. “We’re managing 1300ha of mainly Beccles Series clay soils in the area on behalf of seven land- owners, through a mix of Contract Farming Agreements and Farm Business Tenancies.,” he explains. “A key reason for choosing hy- brid rye is that we have a belt of light land running through the farm where yields vary enor- mously from season to season.” Two years ago, Sentry har- vested 9.5t/ha of winter barley on this land. But winter wheat grown on the same land in 2020 suffered badly because of the very dry spring and hot summer. It av- eraged 4.5t/ha, which was obvi- ously uneconomic and required a different approach. “Although I am not afraid to grow hybrid rye on heavier land, and next season we will have it


R 32 ANGLIA FARMER • JULY 2021


in a second wheat situation on heavier land which retains mois- ture, the crop is targeting a spe- cific soil type. “As a good scavenger of mois-


ture, it works well on our light land and being a low-input crop reduces the financial investment, as well as the labour and machin- ery requirement.”


Sweet spot


Another benefit is that hybrid rye is combined earlier than wheat, which extends the harvest peri- od and spreads the demand on machinery and labour at a peak time of year, he explains. “In recent years, the weather from late July through until early August has been a sweet spot for harvesting, so it fits in well with that timing. “We have grown rye in the


past, but that was convention- al wholecrop for a local AD plant back in 2015.


“Currently we are in our first


year of growing hybrid grain rye, which is being produced on a pre-


mium contract with ADM and will go for human consumption. “The contract provides a choice of varieties, but we selected KWS Serafino as it is the highest yield- ing.


“Being a low-cost crop, rye helps reduce financial risk, which is important both for us as a farm management company and our clients. “With changes in climate be- coming more evident and peri- ods of drought more frequent we will need to adapt our manage- ment approach by growing crops that are more resilient to such conditions, which will favour hy- brid rye.”


Arable farmers badly need an- other cropping option, believes John Burgess, hybrid rye prod- uct manager for KWS UK. “As a plant breeder, we hear from many who are increasing- ly concerned about restricted di- versity in current rotations and the lack of cropping alternatives. “Although the rye area is still relatively small, it will increase substantially because the grain has many potential markets, from feed and food manufacturing to use in the malting and distilling sectors. From an arable perspective, rye is a crop for the future and fits in well with the new UK agri- culture bill because it has specif- ic advantages over other cereals.


“The crop needs a third less


water than wheat and will thrive in conditions or on soils where wheat and even barley may struggle.


Mr Burgess adds: “It requires


less agrochemical inputs and uti- lises nitrogen and phosphorus very efficiently, without com- promising yields, which reduces growing costs.


Molecular markers


Rye also has ultra-low take-all carryover and is aggressive in re- ducing blackgrass populations, so it is an ideal second cereal or addi- tion to all-arable rotations. “The latest hybrid rye varie- ties produce a high grain yield, while the straw makes a valuable contribution to the bottom line. “Modern breeding has vir- tually eliminated rye’s former weakness, its susceptibility to ergot, and with in-built resist- ance through KWS PollenPlus technology, coupled with rhyn- chosporium and brown rust re- sistance, hybrid rye varieties are agronomically secure.” “For pig producers, a major po- tential market, rye is a cheaper alternative to wheat and provides a range of key benefits. An increasing number of pro- ducers in the UK are recognising the advantages of providing rye- rich feed, including improved gut health and behaviour.


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